And on Thursday, an emotional crowd of about a dozen people gathered in court to tell San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Richard Guiliani how they lost their life savings, retirement funds and homes.

Authorities learned through a three-year investigation that Ward Real Estate had been promising investors big returns in a house-flipping business plan. Some of the financiers received installments for a while, but the payments stopped in 2006.

Ward and Jenson sat next to their defense attorneys facing the judge during the sentencing.

The investors could finally say publicly how their lives have been impacted. "They should be made to face us," Paula Barnett said in anger.

Because Barnett lost $170,000, she said her daughter was forced to drop out of college.

"I was homeless," an emotionally charged Barnett said. "Turn around, Leesa!" she yelled before the judge called for order.

Another victim, Tami Rines, said she trusted Ward with $175,000. Rines' elderly in-laws also handed over $100,000.

After all, Ward was Rines' friend and both had worked together at one time.

"I kept telling Leesa, this is our retirement," Rines said. "I don't want anything to happen to that. She made it sound so good on paper."

And it was good, she said, until the checks stopped coming. Payments also stopped for Rines' family members.